Hi,

I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.

I would like to recreate this in the UK, but my garden is almost all
in shade, a lot of it full shade. I also don't want to have to bring
plants in, or protect them over the winter. The plants do not need to
actually be tropical, just recreate that feel.

My ideas so far are fatsia japonica, tree ferns (and other ferns),
bamboo and rhubarb, either real or ornamental. I would love a
cordyline or phormium but think they prefer sun? And the same for
gunnera?

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.

thank you

Rosalyn

Rosalyn wrote:
Hi,

I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.

I would like to recreate this in the UK, but my garden is almost all
in shade, a lot of it full shade. I also don't want to have to bring
plants in, or protect them over the winter. The plants do not need to
actually be tropical, just recreate that feel.

My ideas so far are fatsia japonica, tree ferns (and other ferns),
bamboo and rhubarb, either real or ornamental. I would love a
cordyline or phormium but think they prefer sun? And the same for
gunnera?

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.

thank you

Rosalyn

Hello Rosalyn

I would try Bananas. We bought two sorts some years age to grow in big
pots which we took into the greenhouse to over winter. But they are so
easy to propergate from off-shoots that we soon found we had so many we
did not know what to do with them, so we formed a Banana and Bamboo bed
in a north facing corner under a big spreading ash tree protected from
the wind by a split bamboo screen. One sort (Musa yunnan) has now
survived outside in this situation for three years. Over winter we
protect the stems to about three feet with reed wigwams (which in
themselves look quite decorative over winter) and the new banana leaves
appear above the reeds in May. If you don't want to go to the trouble
of protecting the stems then the stems don't survive and new growth
appears each year from ground level, which is fine, but the plant takes
longer to make an impact. The other species (Musa basjoo) which the
label said was "Hardy Japanese Bamboo" did not survive outside even
though protected.

You also ask about Gunnera. We have found Gunnera manicata to be a very
good in shade and also in dry conditions. Its leaves will not be so big
as when it is grown in wet conditions, but they grow big enough. Each
winter we bend the dead leaves over the crowns and throw a heap of pine
needles on top and we have not lost any so far.

The advantage of plants like these that die down in winter is that they
do not become too big. I am sure if you planted cordyline or phormium
they would grow very well, but would soon take over; phormium in
particular is a very big plant.

I hope this helps.

All the best,



Chris Potts

Rosalyn writes
Hi,

I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.

I would like to recreate this in the UK, but my garden is almost all
in shade, a lot of it full shade. I also don't want to have to bring
plants in, or protect them over the winter. The plants do not need to
actually be tropical, just recreate that feel.

My ideas so far are fatsia japonica, tree ferns (and other ferns),
bamboo and rhubarb, either real or ornamental. I would love a
cordyline or phormium but think they prefer sun? And the same for
gunnera?

Tree fern growing tips need protection in winter. I'd suggest sticking
with ordinary ferns. Some of the ones that grow in trees and on walls
don't need it as damp, so you could grow them off ground level in
containers

Try hellebores with large architectural leaves. Rogersia - takes almost
total shade (grows better if it's not total) with leaves getting on for
a foot across.

The red flowers without messing around bringing things in in the winter
is your challenge. You could perhaps buy in impatiens and ?begonias in
the summer and discard them at the end of the year. If it's the lushness
that attracts rather than the hot look, think about recreating wet west
coast woodland with lots of ferns and add in any shade loving plant that
takes your fancy. Epimediums - shiny oval leaves about two inches long
and clusters of the pink or yellow flowers, heuchera, astilbe, tiarella
- all tolerant of shade.

--
Kay

"Rosalyn" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.

I would like to recreate this in the UK, but my garden is almost all
in shade, a lot of it full shade. I also don't want to have to bring
plants in, or protect them over the winter. The plants do not need to
actually be tropical, just recreate that feel.

My ideas so far are fatsia japonica, tree ferns (and other ferns),
bamboo and rhubarb, either real or ornamental. I would love a
cordyline or phormium but think they prefer sun? And the same for
gunnera?

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.
thank you Rosalyn

Whereabouts are you situated Rosalyn? Do you get much frost?

- Hosta's, especially the larger leaved ones, look vaguely tropical

- Mahonia doesn't mind shade and smells wonderful. Birds love the berries
:~)

- Hellebores have interesting leaves - Stinking hellebore (Helleborus
foetidus) is especially spiky

- Acanthus have good leaf shape and large flower spikes (OK not red.... but
nice!)

- Trilliums - expensive but VERY exotic looking

- Voodoo Lily (Dracunculus vulgaris) Crazy spotted stems, triangular leaves,
lily like flower, red berries.

- Pineapple Lilies (Eucomis) Has pineapple looking flowers - should be
hardy in a sheltered spot

- As a backdrop - Climbing Hydrangea has large white flowers and interesting
stems in winter

If you have any sunny bits, cannas and gingers are very exotic looking :~))

The following site might be useful for ideas :
http://www.architecturalplants.com/

And http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/ has a rather good search facility.
You can look up shade plants etc

HTH Jenny

"K" wrote in message
...
Rosalyn writes
Hi,
I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.
snipped
The red flowers without messing around bringing things in in the winter is
your challenge. Kay

Dare I suggest plastic additions among the foliage ?
Jenny "~)

"Rosalyn" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.

I would like to recreate this in the UK, but my garden is almost all
in shade, a lot of it full shade. I also don't want to have to bring
plants in, or protect them over the winter. The plants do not need to
actually be tropical, just recreate that feel.

My ideas so far are fatsia japonica, tree ferns (and other ferns),
bamboo and rhubarb, either real or ornamental. I would love a
cordyline or phormium but think they prefer sun? And the same for
gunnera?

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.

thank you

Rosalyn

Sound like you have got an almost ideal site for a lush tropical look.
If you like Fatsia japonica then have a look at Fatsia polycarpa also.
Pseudopanax (Cyril Watson) is another one that you mike like.
Have a go with Aroids-things like Lysichiton and Arisaema.
Bananas/Musa as already stated will grow OK but not quite as well as in full
sun. M.basjoo and M.sikkimensis are the standard ones.
The list is endless but with all the suggestions made so far you get the
picture.
Nearly forgot you must have a palm. The one bog standard, grow anywhere,
palm is Trachycarpus fortuneii although those big leaves do not like wind.

Petasites, Damura, Polypodium, Schefflera (the Hardy ones),Philodendrom
selloum
Well, I said the list goes on forever but please do not forget those
faithful old plants -they were once counted as exotics too.

"Chris Potts" wrote in message
...
Rosalyn wrote:
Hi,

Hello Rosalyn

I would try Bananas. We bought two sorts some years age to grow in big
pots which we took into the greenhouse to over winter. But they are so
easy to propergate from off-shoots that we soon found we had so many we
did not know what to do with them, so we formed a Banana and Bamboo bed
in a north facing corner under a big spreading ash tree protected from
the wind by a split bamboo screen. One sort (Musa yunnan) has now
survived outside in this situation for three years. Over winter we
protect the stems to about three feet with reed wigwams (which in
themselves look quite decorative over winter) and the new banana leaves
appear above the reeds in May. If you don't want to go to the trouble
of protecting the stems then the stems don't survive and new growth
appears each year from ground level, which is fine, but the plant takes
longer to make an impact. The other species (Musa basjoo) which the
label said was "Hardy Japanese Bamboo" did not survive outside even
though protected.

You also ask about Gunnera. We have found Gunnera manicata to be a very
good in shade and also in dry conditions. Its leaves will not be so big
as when it is grown in wet conditions, but they grow big enough. Each
winter we bend the dead leaves over the crowns and throw a heap of pine
needles on top and we have not lost any so far.

The advantage of plants like these that die down in winter is that they
do not become too big. I am sure if you planted cordyline or phormium
they would grow very well, but would soon take over; phormium in
particular is a very big plant.

I hope this helps.

All the best,



Chris Potts
Try also the Hedchiums (Ginger lilies) they are root hardy although may not
flower in colder parts, great for slug proof leaves. Acanthus has wonderful
leaves although again it may not flower. Then try some of the big fuchsias
like bolieviana and paniculata so long as you are not waterlogged in winter
they will either remain all winter as here or come from below ground as in
colder gardens.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

Rosalyn wrote:
Hi,

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.

thank you

Rosalyn


Have a look on the Architectural Plants web site - great pictures and
advice

pk

"p.k." wrote in message
...
Rosalyn wrote:
Hi,

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.

thank you

Rosalyn


Have a look on the Architectural Plants web site - great pictures and
advice

pk

Good idea but also try Mulu/Amulree/ Urban Jungle/Jungle Gardens. All are
small specialist exotic plant suppliers and propagate some of their own
plants. In addition the folk that run these places are friendly, very
knowledgeable people, which is a bonus these days.
Did you say whereabouts you are situated? because there are a few more
suppliers who may be nearly on your doorstep.

Did I suggest Astilboides tabularis (syn Rodgersia tabularis) or........:-)

"Rosalyn" wrote
I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.

I would like to recreate this in the UK, but my garden is almost all
in shade, a lot of it full shade. I also don't want to have to bring
plants in, or protect them over the winter. The plants do not need to
actually be tropical, just recreate that feel.

My ideas so far are fatsia japonica, tree ferns (and other ferns),
bamboo and rhubarb, either real or ornamental. I would love a
cordyline or phormium but think they prefer sun? And the same for
gunnera?

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.

For huge leaves try Paulownia tomentosa and coppice it every year, You will
then get about 10ft of growth in a season with huge leaves. If you want the
blue foxglove flowers then you have to let it grow.
http://www.the-tree.org.uk/BritishTr...glovetreec.htm

--
Regards
Bob H

"Chris Potts" wrote in message
...
Rosalyn wrote:
Hi,

I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.

I would like to recreate this in the UK, but my garden is almost all
in shade, a lot of it full shade. I also don't want to have to bring
plants in, or protect them over the winter. The plants do not need to
actually be tropical, just recreate that feel.

My ideas so far are fatsia japonica, tree ferns (and other ferns),
bamboo and rhubarb, either real or ornamental. I would love a
cordyline or phormium but think they prefer sun? And the same for
gunnera?

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.

thank you

Rosalyn

Hello Rosalyn

snip
One sort (Musa yunnan) has now
survived outside in this situation for three years. Over winter we
protect the stems to about three feet with reed wigwams (which in
themselves look quite decorative over winter) and the new banana leaves
appear above the reeds in May.

Chris can you remember where you got the yunnan/itinerans or was it grown
from seed? I ask because all I can do is kill it both inside and outside:-(

Chris Potts

On 28 May 2007 01:04:05 -0700
Rosalyn wrote:

Hi,

I have recently come back from Cuba and love their gardens. Large red
and green leaves, a few red flowers and an overall lush feel.

I would like to recreate this in the UK, but my garden is almost all
in shade, a lot of it full shade. I also don't want to have to bring
plants in, or protect them over the winter. The plants do not need to
actually be tropical, just recreate that feel.

My ideas so far are fatsia japonica, tree ferns (and other ferns),
bamboo and rhubarb, either real or ornamental. I would love a
cordyline or phormium but think they prefer sun? And the same for
gunnera?

Any ideas gratefully welcomed.


If you have room you might try Kalopanax septemlobus, which is
very hardy indeed and doesn't need a lot of light. Leaves resemble
fatsia a little, very tropical looking but entirely hardy.

Could be coppiced if space is a problem, I expect.

-E

--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ecom
by removing the well known companies
Questions about wine? Visit http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:

Chris can you remember where you got the yunnan/itinerans or was it grown
from seed? I ask because all I can do is kill it both inside and outside:-(


Chris Potts

Hello Rupert

We got the original plant from

The Palm Farm
Station Road
Thornton Curtis
Ulceby
North Lincolnshire
DN39 6XF

which is three miles from where we live. If you like I will put a
offshoot in a pot and you can have it. We are in the process of moving
to Manchester, so are travelling along the M62 with monotonous
regularity so we should be able to arrange a transfer somehow.

All the best,

Chris Potts

"Chris Potts" wrote in message
...
Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:

Chris can you remember where you got the yunnan/itinerans or was it grown
from seed? I ask because all I can do is kill it both inside and
outside:-(


Chris Potts

Hello Rupert

We got the original plant from

The Palm Farm
Station Road
Thornton Curtis
Ulceby
North Lincolnshire
DN39 6XF

which is three miles from where we live. If you like I will put a
offshoot in a pot and you can have it. We are in the process of moving to
Manchester, so are travelling along the M62 with monotonous regularity so
we should be able to arrange a transfer somehow.

All the best,

Chris Potts

Thanks Chris I will be in touch.

Some wonderful ideas. Just been browsing google images to look at
these suggestions.

Mulu is near me, so might well go and chat to them. Crocus have a
jungle bed suggestion, but not necessarily shady or hardy.

thanks!